I don't like it
by Veep
Summary: Jack doesn't like Sam's next mission, with good reason, but she doesn't want her boyfriend interfering.
1. Chapter 1

"There's no point in continuing to discuss it, Jack."

"I disagree, this is a ridiculous plan."

"But it is the plan."

"I'll call Hank."

Sam crossed her arms and scowled. "Don't you dare." Jack stuck his chin out but didn't move. "One, this isn't his plan. This came down from above and he doesn't like it either."

"But that doesn't make any sense! I'm the above!"

Sam shook her head, "Then I guess it came from some other above but it wasn't his idea and two, this," she moved her right hand back and forth between them, "can only work if we keep work out of it."

Jack sighed, "You know I'm not angry with you, just the situation." He stepped towards her and open his arms. "I'd never call Hank."

She stepped into his arms and put her head on his shoulder. "If you did I'd have to kick your ass." He felt her smile.

"I'm sorry, Sam, really I am."

"I know." She picked her head up and looked him in the eye. "Everything will be ok."

He put his hand up to the side of her face. "I still don't like it."

Sam walked through the gate first, followed closely by Captain Michael, so closely that he almost knocked her down when he ran into her. She elbowed him to the side as the rest of the newbies arrived with Cam at the rear.

"Take a deep breath and stay alert. The nausea passes quickly." Sam grinned internally as she watched these kids struggling to not upchuck.

Cam joined her on the steps in front of the gate. "Alright, time for you guys to pick our camp sight. Make it good."

The three new recruits, the clumsy Captain Michael, the focused Captain Ammons, and the reserved Captain Williams, huddled at the base of the steps debating the merits of the four zones they had reviewed at the briefing. Cam rolled his eyes and looked over at Sam. The Captains were having the same arguments they had at the briefing without even looking at the potential camping sites.

"Hey guys, how about use your eyes more and your mouths less for a moment." Silence filled the valley as the recruits took a moment to realize they were standing on an alien planet.

After a moment they began discussing again but this time they were pointing out characteristics of the three mountains that surrounded them and the valley that lay out in front of them. They finally settled on a spot above the base of the mountain to the right of the gate. It took them an hour to set up camp and get water from the nearby river. Sam went over the basics of establishing a perimeter before running the recruits through a series of drills. Cam had dinner ready when Sam and the newbies returned.

It was a quiet night, just like the last three nights. Sam took the first watch and Cam took the last so he could get the recruits up at the crack of dawn for PT. Sam used the peace and quiet before starting breakfast to go down to the river to wash up and get more water. She was kneeling at the side of the river when she heard the explosion and was blown forward into the water. She rolled and reached upwards. Her hands hit something hard instead of breaking through the water's surface. Sam held back her panic as she moved her hands along the hard thing above her that was also scratching her. It was a tree! She moved her hands along the branch as it narrowed until she was able to pull her head through the branches and gasp air.

She began coughing as her mouth filled with some type of particulates. Sam blinked her eyes as she took a tentative small breath that also resulted in a coughing fit. The world looked grey. She wiped her eyes and looked again. It was all still grey. Sam's head clicked into gear. It was ash, tons of ash.

"Sam!" It was Cam's voice. Sam glanced towards the edge of the river, covered by downed trees. It was clear that being blown into the river might have been why Sam was alive.

"Sam! Can you hear me?"

Sam climbed up on the tree and made her way to the river's edge. Her radio was partially hidden by the tree branches but she found it. He kept calling her name. She could tell he was running while calling for her.

"Cam, what happened?"

"Volcano."

"What? We had no indication of…"

"And yet."

"Where are you?"

"We are almost back at the gate. Michaels has a broken leg but we've got him."

"I will head your way now."

"There's lava coming down the volcano and it's headed straight to the gate."

"How much time do I have?"

"Ten minutes, at the most."

"Cam, there's no way I can…"

"I know Sam."

Sam looked around her, knowing she was at the lowest point in the valley. "I will head back up the mountain we were are camped on. Look for me there when you can come back."

"It won't be long Sam."

"I know." She heard the gate spinning.

The radio went silent. Sam took off her shirt and dipped it in the water that was becoming thick with ash. She tied the wet shirt over her face, leaving her eyes exposed. She tried to hurry back to the camp but the ash and the downed trees made it slow going. She was worried she would miss the camp, but the green tent actually stood out midst the grey ash. Sam spent twenty minutes packing supplies. She headed up the mountain, crossing over to the side opposite from the volcano.

She walked until she didn't think she could go any further. She found a patch of bushes that gave her some protection from the falling ash and climbed under. She used some of the water in her canteen to rewet the shirt over her face, set an alarm for one hour, and closed her eyes for a short nap.

"The George Hammond just sent their report sir. The planet now has three active volcanoes. The area where Colonel Carter was reported to be heading is now an active lava field. There is no evidence of the camp or of Colonel Carter. They are awaiting further orders, sir."

Landry looked over at Cam who was furiously shaking his head. "That can't be."

"I'm afraid there isn't anything else we can do son. I will have them do one more full planet survey to be sure." Landry dismissed Harriman and went to his office to call Jack.


	2. Chapter 2

It took a month for her to be declared killed in action. Her funeral was well attended. Jack was articulate when he gave her eulogy but he didn't utter a word the rest of the day. Daniel drank too much and talked more as he got drunk. Teal'c kept his eye on Daniel and let Jack wallow for the day. Cam was blaming himself and only General Landry was disagreeing with him, even though they all knew Cam couldn't have saved her and he wasn't in support of this mission either.

As the sun set Teal'c took Daniel home. General Landry gave Cam a ride and Jack retreated to his living room with another beer. He turned on a baseball game but he didn't even know who was playing. His mind kept going over their last afternoon together. He should have ignored her protests and called everyone he could find to get her mission canceled. It was stupid to take newbies to another planet so soon. If he had followed his instincts she would still be with him. He couldn't let that thought go.

The morning after the funeral Cassie and Sam's brother's family joined Jack at Sam's home. Her brother and his kids picked out some photos, books, and other mementos to take with them and were on the road in under an hour. Cassie stayed to help Jack begin the real packing. She tackled the bathroom while he focused on her bedroom. He found notes going back to high school in the top drawer of her bedside table. Birthday cards he had given her over the years were included in the stack of keepsakes. He found a green velvet box that contained a gold necklace with a small gold rose pendent. He knew it must have held some significance to her since it was included in this drawer but he knew nothing about it. He fingered the rose for a moment before packing it away with the letters and cards.

He got up and went to her closet. He pulled back the accordion doors and looked for what he wanted. It was hidden to the far right, a light blue dress with a hint of a shimmer. He took it off the hanger as Cassie walked back into the room.

"What's that?"

Jack looked over at the girl he considered a daughter, "It's the dress she wore on our first date."

She held up a bottle of perfume. "It smells like her. I just can't believe this happened."

"Me neither, munchkin. Me neither."

Cassie shook her head. "Will you ever stop calling me that?"

"No time soon." He smiled at her as he walked over and gave her a hug.

Teal'c, Daniel, and Cam brought lunch around noon and joined in the packing. They had been working for about an hour when Daniel found Sam's yearbooks in her guest bedroom. He was flipping through them when Cam found him.

"What cha lookin at?"

"Sam in high school. She was a nerd but she sure didn't look like one."

Cam picked up the yearbooks lying on the bed beside Daniel. "They are all from different schools."

"She's a military brat. She moved around a lot." Cam nodded as he placed the books in the box at Daniel's feet. "We shouldn't be doing this. We shouldn't be going through her stuff."

"Would you rather strangers be doing it?"

"I'd rather we wait for her to come home."

"Daniel…"

Daniel stood up. "Don't! I don't want to hear it again." Daniel stormed out to the living room, where Jack, Teal'c and Cassie were working.

Jack sighed as he looked up. "What now?"

"I'm tired of nobody listening to me. We shouldn't be doing this!"

"It's been over a month Daniel. If she had survived she would have gotten in touch by now."

"There could be lots of reasons she hasn't been able to contact us, like the gate being covered in lava."

"Even Sam can't evade three volcanoes and that much lava. She had no chance Daniel."

"You're the last person I thought would give up on her." Daniel's accusation cut Jack to the core so Jack didn't try to stop him as he left.

"Do you think he's right, Jack?"

Jack shook his head. "No sweetie, if I did I wouldn't be doing this."

By dinner time the whole place was in boxes. They packed up Jack and Cam's trucks and moved the boxes to Jack's garage. They shared a dinner of pizza and beer, a moving day staple, before going their separate ways. Jack contacted a realtor before heading back to Washington.

Jack's phone rang but he clicked the ringer off.

"Do you need to take that?"

Jack shook his head. "No, it can wait. Let's finish."

The woman across the table nodded. "Very good. You only have a few more pages to sign."

As Jack was walking out his phone started ringing again, the fourth time in the last ten minutes, but this time he answered. "What Daniel?"

"Jack, thank goodness you finally answered. She's alive."

"Damn it Daniel! You have got to stop this. She was declared killed in action nine months ago."

"I know but…"

"No, no buts Daniel. I just closed on my house and the truck is packed. I'm headed to the cabin. You can visit when you give up this witch hunt."

"Shut up Jack!" Jack sat down in his truck and went silent. "The Beta site contacted us fifteen minutes ago. Sam declared a medical emergency and requested sanctuary under the MIA protocol."

"What?"

"They've requested your presence."

"I'll be there in ten."

"I'll meet you at the guard station."


	3. Chapter 3

Jack and Daniel were in gear and waiting for the gate to finish dialing within 30 minutes of Jack answering his cell. Jack stepped through as soon as the wormhole was established, forcing Daniel to catch up.

"General, it's good to see you again."

"It's just Jack now. Where is she?"

The Colonel pointed to his left, "ICU 1, sir."

Jack handed his weapon and gear to the sergeant by the door as Daniel came down the ramp. He handed off his gear and followed.

When Jack walked into the room he saw a woman in hospital gowns was leaning on the back edge of a gurney with her back to the door. A nurse was rubbing circles on her back. "It's almost over Colonel."

Jack coughed. "Is she ok?"

The nurse looked over at him but didn't stop rubbing her back. "Yes sir. She's doing very well."

She let out a long slow breath before straightening as she pushed up off the end of the gurney. Their eyes widened as she turned around.

"Sam, you're huge!"

"Well, thanks Daniel. Those are just the words every pregnant woman wants to hear."

"You're…you're having a baby?"

Sam nodded as she kept her eyes on Jack. "Actually, Jack and I are having a baby." Jack's eyes moved from her abdomen to her face. Sam moved her hands to her belly. "You did say you wanted that last time to be memorable. Well, you got your wish."

"It's really you."

She furiously nodded her head as he closed the gap between them. He put his hand on the side of her face. She tilted her face into his hand as he leaned in and kissed her.

"Well, I guess that explains how you are having Jack's baby."

Sam's giggling interrupted their kiss. "Are you trying to say you had no idea Daniel?"

He waved his hands back and forth in front of his chest. "Not a one." Daniel winked and grinned. "That reminds me Jack, I believe you have something you need to tell me."

"Can't think of anything."

His arms failed outwards, "Oh, you have to be kidding me." Sam saw Jack's half grin and turned her head so she wouldn't laugh. She was about to ask what Daniel meant but that's when it started again. She reached out and grabbed Jack's upper arms as she bent forward and put her head on his shoulder. She emitted a low moan before taking a deep breath through her nose.

"Two minutes and fifty-two seconds. Your contractions are now less than three minutes apart. You're making excellent progress."

Daniel looked over at the nurse. "You mean she's in labor now?"

The nurse nodded. "Breath with her, sir. In through your nose and slowly out through your mouth." Jack flexed his biceps as Sam's fingers dug into his arms. He followed the nurse's orders and breathed along with Sam. Daniel joined in the breathing as well. Jack reached around and rubbed circles on her back, like he had seen the nurse doing when they walked in earlier. Slowly Sam's grip lightened and she began to straighten. Jack pulled her closer and let her lean against him.

"The equipment is finally here." The doctor and another nurse entered the room just as Sam recovered.

"Equipment?" Jack looked at the carts being wheeled in.

"Yes, sir. We aren't exactly set up for delivery and prenatal care, but we asked the SGC to send what we need."

Jack nodded but Daniel stepped forward. "Send her to the SGC, they're better equipped."

"They are but protocol won't allow it.

"Protocol?!"

Sam reached out towards Daniel. "We established a protocol that would allow SGC personnel who were declared missing or killed in action to return to the SGC but it requires verifying my identity and that can take time."

Daniel shook his head, "But we know you're you."

"It's not that easy Daniel." Sam grimaced as another contraction began.

"This contraction is two minutes forty-four minutes from the last one."

Jack held Sam and breathed with her as the doctor moved closer. "Excellent. You are getting close. When this contraction passes we are going to get the fetal heartrate monitor on you."

The doctor walked to the other side of the room and helped the nurses who were laying out all sort of equipment and supplies. They were ready when Sam's contraction ended.

"I'm going to need to put these around your abdomen." The nurse was holding up a couple cords.

"This is when you get to leave Daniel." She opened her arms towards him. "But give me a quick hug first."

"I'll see you soon." Daniel looked down after their hug. "I'll see both of you soon."

Jack looked at Daniel's back as he was leaving. "Don't even think it." Sam reached out and touched Jack's arm. "You have to stay."

"I wasn't going anywhere."

"Good, because I didn't work this hard to get here in the nick of time and have you waiting in the hall."

They got the monitors hooked up and Sam settled on the gurney just before the next contraction started. Jack breathed with her and let her squeeze his hand, a mistake he wouldn't make a second time.

"Now that that's passed I want to check to see how many centimeters you are dilated. Scoot down to the edge of the bed and place your feet in the stirrups."

Sam did as the doctor requested. "I want you here but I would prefer for you to stay at this end of the bed." She smiled at Jack.

"I'm good with that actually." Jack concentrated on Sam's face as the doctor sat down behind the curtain at the far end of the bed. Jack was growing more uncomfortable as the doctor moved around.

"Good news. You are at nine centimeters. You'll probably be holding your baby by the end of the hour."

Sam smiled up at Jack who returned her grin. The beeping of the machine alerted them all to the start of the next contraction. The nurse turned up the volume on the baby's heartrate monitor and Sam concentrated on the sound as she breathed.

"Is the heartbeat supposed to sound so erratic?"

The doctor stood up and oved closer to Sam's head. "It is usually steadier but I don't think it is anything to worry about. Your contractions can also interfere in the readings."

Sam nodded but Jack could tell the doctor had not soothed her worry. Now that she had pointed it out he was listening too. The heartbeat did seem to miss a couple beats every once in a while.

Ten minutes later the doctor was back in position and had declared Sam was ready to push whenever she felt ready. Jack helped her sit up as she wrapped her hands around her knees and gave a low grunt. She took a quick breath and pushed through the rest of the contraction. Jack kissed her forehead as she rested after the contraction.

"You're doing great, Sam."

She just nodded as the next contraction began. She sat forward and reached out for her knees and Jack supported her back. Six contractions later the doctor told her he could see the baby's head. He told her that once the baby's head was delivered her would need her to not push so he could gently delivery the shoulders. Sam followed his orders and few minutes later she heard her child making a soft mewing.

"It's a boy."

Sam and Jack shared beaming smiles. "You're amazing Sam."

The doctor placed their son on Sam's chest. Jack reached out and used his index finger to touch his son's soft black hair.

"He's so little." Sam sounded really worried. "Is he ok?"

"He is smaller than I expected but I think he's fine. We'll give him a full exam though, just to be sure."

Sam watched as the doctor carried their son across the room. "He's so little Jack."

"They all start out little."

"I guess."

"Thanks for getting here in time. I'm glad I didn't miss this."

"Next time you can enjoy every excruciating moment."

"I like the sound of that, next time. I can rub your feet and get you pickles for your ice cream."

"Ick. There were a lot of things I wished I could have eaten while I pregnant but ice cream with pickles was never on the list."

"What was?"

"I did miss ice cream, and pizza, and lasagna. I could have used some jello and cantaloupe too."

"Cantaloupe?"

Sam shrugged. "What can I say, a craving is a craving." Sam grunted and her face scrunched up.

"What's wrong?"

"Another contraction." Sam balled her hands up in the sheet.

The doctor stepped back over to her. "You'll have a few more contractions as you expel the after birth but they won't be as bad as before. Your son is five pounds three ounces and sixteen inches long. His breathing and heart rate are fine. We'll have a pediatrician check him too but I feel good saying your son is well."

"Ummm…doctor, could you come here for a minute?"

Jack and Sam looked over at the nervous sounding nurse. The doctor joined her at the machinery behind Sam's head.

"Well, that explains a couple things."

"What does?" Jack couldn't keep the concern out of his voice as the doctor stepped to the edge of the bed and palpated Sam's abdomen.

The doctor smiled. "I'm glad you are both interested in having a second child because you're having twins." Both of their faces went blank with shock. The monitor was picking up two heat beats, that's why it sounded so erratic. It also explains why your son is smaller than we expected."

Sam reached out and Jack took her hand. "Twins." She grimaced as another contraction started.

"You can do it. It'll be over before you know it."

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one who…" Sam went pale, her grip on Jack's hand weakened, and her eyes rolled back in her head.

"Sam!" Jack squeezed her now limp hand.

"Dammit!" All eyes shifted to the doctor. "I need a fully staffed OR now." HE looked up at the nurse standing near Sam's head. "Get her unhooked."

The other nurse had put their son in a bassinet and she was now on the phone.

"You need to let go, sir." The gurney was moving but Jack was still holding Sam's hand. He loosened his grip and her hand slipped out as they raced out of the room. He looked down and saw a large pool of blood on the floor.

"Jack?" Daniel stuck his head in the door. "Jack, what's going on?"

Jack shook his head. "I…I don't know."

The lone nurse left in the room brought Jack's son over. He was wrapped in a light-yellow blanket and had a small knitted hat on his head. "Can you hold your son for a while so I can go help? I'll bring you a bottle in a little bit."

Jack stretched out his arms. She gently placed the small bundle in the crook of his left arm. She guided him out to a chair in the hall and left him and Daniel staring at the small boy.

"It's a boy?"

Jack looked up at Daniel and nodded. "Yeah, yeah he is."

"He's so little."

Jack grinned. "That seems to be the first thing everyone says."

Daniel reached out with one finger and touched the boy's face.


	4. Chapter 4

As promised the nurse returned with a bottle for Jack's son and a second bundle, his daughter. Daniel took held the boy while Jack accepted his daughter and a bottle. They each fed a baby as the nurse explained the placenta detached from the uterus too soon and caused a great deal of blood loss. Sam was still in surgery.

Two hours later Jack and Daniel were invited into the ICU room to sit with Sam. She was pale but alive. The nurses were having a great time caring for the babies, they were a novelty on the outpost. Sam woke briefly twice during the night, but it was nearly ten the next morning before she was aware of her surroundings.

"Hey there, it's good to see those baby blues."

"Ummmmm, Jack?"

"Last time I checked, yeah."

"How is he? Our son?"

"He's fine. So's our daughter."

"What?"

He put his hand on the side of her face and smiled. "Twins, we have twins."

Her eyes shifted from him to the room. She groaned as she tried to sit up for a better look. "What do you need?"

"Can I see them? Where are they?"

Jack nodded. "They're right here, they're fine." Jack picked up their son first and held him so Sam could see him. She smiled. HE lifted their daughter up next. Sam was still marveling at her when the doctor came in.

"I am glad to see you awake Colonel. Your children and doing quite well. The pediatrician checked them both earlier and gave them both a clean bill of health." Sam met Jack's eyes and smiled. "You lost a lot of blood when your placenta prematurely detached. I had to do an emergency c-section to deliver your daughter and try to stanch the bleeding. I am sorry to say that the only way to save you was to do a partial hysterectomy."

Sam swallowed and turned her head away from the doctor and Jack. "I understand."

The doctor glanced at Jack, who had already been told the news but still hated hearing it again. "I want to give you a little time to recuperate before we get you up and moving, but the sooner you get up the faster you will recover."

Sam nodded but she avoided eye contact. "We also need to begin the process to establish my identity."

Jack reached out for her hand. "That can wait until you are feeling better."

"The sooner we start the sooner we can take the babies back to Earth."

The doctor opened his clipboard. "I assumed you would feel that way. I collected blood samples before and after delivery, which is good because now you have been given numerous transfers which would have altered the results for months. We will schedule a body scan for a few days from now." Sam opened her mouth the protest, but he held up a hand. "No, we can't do it any sooner. I need some of the post-surgical swelling to go down."

Sam slowly lifted her eyes towards him. "Then let's begin with the interviews."

The doctor nodded. "I will ask Colonel Marlin if it can be done in here and work it around your need to rest and take care of your children."

The tape recorder and camera were on as Sam closed her eyes and began telling her story.

 _As her mind rose towards consciousness she heard rhythmic beeping, a classic sign of the infirmary. She relaxed and drifted back to sleep knowing Cam had come through with his promise and she had been rescued. The beeping was still there when she slowly opened her eyes again later. The room was dim but she sensed motion to her left. She rolled her head and was surprised to see a man with light green skin wearing pink clothes. He was typing into a monitor and didn't notice she was awake. Sam blinked a few times, trying to decide if she was awake or if her vision was off. A moan escaped, letting the green man know she was awake. He stuck his head out the door and called for someone. Within moments her bed was surround by alien faces._

" _It's good to see you awake, Carter. How do you feel?"_

" _A bit sore." She began coughing, which caused a couple of the aliens to begin adjusting the machine attached to her breathing mask. The changes helped and her breathing difficulties eased._

" _I'm afraid we are still trying to get your required respiratory gases correct. They seem to be much different than ours."_

" _Really?"_

 _The man standing at the end of her bed nodded. "Yes. I am Dr. Etins. I have been taking care of you since we rescued from Allona. If I had realized your respiratory needs were so different you might have woken up sooner. I am sorry. Thankfully you are awake now. I think you will be fine."_

" _Thank you for rescuing me and caring for me. How did you know my name?"_

" _We were watching you and your people explore Allona. That's how we knew you were in trouble."_

" _Are we still on Allona?"_

 _Everyone around her bed smiled as began nodding as Dr. Etins spoke. "No, we are on the Sonna, a spaceship." He watched Sam look around at the crowd and read her anxiety. "Perhaps it is time we give our guest some space. I am sure you all have some work to do." The room slowly cleared._

" _That's a bit better, huh?"_

 _Sam nodded. "Thank you. I was feeling a bit claustrophobic."_

" _How is your breathing?"_

" _A bit labored." Dr. Etins moved over the machine and adjusted the controls. Sam took a deep breath. "That's better."_

" _Your species certainly requires a lot of oxygen. That appears to have been our mistake while caring for you. We kept your oxygen levels lower than you needed which I think delayed your awakening."_

" _That would do it. Would it be alright if I sat up?"_

" _Oh, of course." He tapped the screen attached to her bed and the head rose up. "Better?"_

 _Sam nodded. "Much, thank you. How long have I been here?"_

" _Six days. You had some superficial burns and your lungs were damaged but we regenerated your damaged tissues." Sam kept nodding. "How about I get you some food? The next step in your recovery is keeping down some breakfast."_

" _Thank you."_

 _As promised Dr. Etins returned a few moments later with a plate of food that all looked foreign to Sam. She tried everything on the plate and enjoyed the yellow creamy stuff the most. Luckily none of it was disgusting. She didn't clean her plate but Dr. Etins was pleased with what she did eat._

 _He brought her a change of clothes, unhooked her from the IV, and showed her to a shower. She tried taking off the supplementary oxygen but quickly discovered she couldn't lose it quite yet. Thankfully they had oxygen that she could take with her. She felt much better after a shower, real clothes didn't hurt either._

 _Her bed had clean sheets when she returned. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the sparse room. She wondered what was happening back at the SGC. Had they come back to the planet already? How did Jack react when he found out? Her mind was racing as she climbed into bed. The shower had worn her out and she fell asleep even as the thoughts in her head spun and twirled._

 _Another tray of food was beside her bed when she woke. She started with the yellow stuff. Dr. Etins returned after she finished eating. "Your vitals look good. You will have to continue to use supplemental oxygen and I will want to check you daily but I don't see any reason to keep you in the infirmary."_

 _Sam's eyebrows went up. "Excellent, I guess."_

 _Dr. Etins smiled. "There aren't any rooms available right now but one of the nurses has agreed to let you bunk with her."_

" _Right now?"_

" _We are early in our journey so we still have a lot of supplies on board. In a couple of cycles, we ought to be able to turn one of the storerooms into a bunk room for you."_

" _I appreciate that but hopefully my people will come for me before then. You have taken great care of me but I'd love to go home."_

" _Of course you would. Until then I hope you can find a home here with us."_

" _Thanks."_

" _I also got you a few supplies from the ship store. Nurse Loni helped me pick out some of this." He waved his hand over a bag of small bottles and clothes._

" _I really appreciate it."_

" _The captain would also like you to join him for dinner tonight."_

" _What?"_

 _Dr. Etins smiled. "You're the first alien we've have ever actually met. He's just as curious about you as the rest of us."_

" _I hope I can live up to the hype."_

" _I doubt that will be a problem." Dr. Etins looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Ah, Nurse Loni, meet your new roommate, Carter."_

 _Sam put her hand out. "Please call me Sam. I appreciate your offer to let me bunk with you."_

 _Loni looked at her offered hand and then back at her face. "It's not a problem." Her tone did not match her words. Sam figured Loni had been a reluctant volunteer. "If you're ready to go I can show you the way."_

" _Great."_

" _I want to see you back her in the morning. After I check you I will give you a better tour of the ship."_

" _Will do."_

 _Loni showed her to their room. It was small but big enough for the second bed had been added. Loni had cleared out a drawer and some closet space, not that Sam had much to put away. Loni offered to lend Sam an outfit for dinner but apparently showing lots of skin was in right now and that wasn't the first impression Sam wanted to make._

A crying baby interrupted Sam's story. Jack cleared the room and brought the twins to Sam, so she could feed them.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam took the rest of the evening off and just enjoyed her time with Jack, Daniel, and the babies. He next morning the tape recorder and camera reappeared.

" _Please join me Colonel Carter." The captain had a table in the center of the room that was half covered in technology and paper with food laid out on the other half. "I apologize for the mess but I rarely eat in my quarters and I tend to use my table mainly for work." He pulled out a chair for her and she sat._

" _Thank you, Captain, for the invitation and the meal."_

" _It is my pleasure. Please call me Ranin. I spent days listening to you and your men explore the planet wishing I could meet you. I hate it happened under such circumstances though."_

" _You can call me Sam. I do appreciate being rescued."_

" _I strongly recommend trying the plangent, it is a little spicy but pleasing." He held out a plate of green berries in a red sauce. Sam took a little of everything offered and sipped at her drink. "I took a big risk bringing you on board, but I think you will find a place among our people. You may even help my government see that there are benefits to letting other planets know of our existence."_

" _I would love to help with that, but I won't be able to stay long. My people will send a ship for me once they realize they can't reach me by stargate."_

 _The captain bit his lower lip and moved the food on his plate. "Your ship came and went many days ago."_

 _Sam's eyes widened. "What? But why didn't you…"_

" _I was not allowed." He raised a hand to forestall her anger and questions. "It takes many days for messages to be sent from here to my planet and to then recessive a response. When the volcanoes first erupted I asked permission to rescue you but there was not time to wait for a response. I acted without having gained permission. When the message was received I was told to not interact with an alien under any circumstances, but it was too late, you were already on board. However, when your ship arrived my orders were clear."_

 _Sam nodded. She understood following orders. "But if you had given me to them that would have eliminated the problem of explain why you rescued me."_

" _I had already sent a message saying you were on board so there was no taking that back. I was also concerned about how your people would react to your condition. You came very close to dying because of my indecision and the differences in our physiology."_

" _They would have been pleased to have me returned, regardless of my condition. They would not have blamed you."_

 _He nodded. "I hoped as much, since I would have felt the same about one of my crew, but I could not take that risk. We stayed cloaked until your people finished surveying the planet and left. If it makes you feel any better they did a thorough search."_

 _Sam took a deep breath. "So where does that leave me?"_

" _I hope you can find a place on the ship where you are comfortable living and working but I order for you to keep that freedom I must have your word that you will not attempt to contact your people."_

 _Sam twisted her hands under the table. It felt childish, but she crossed her fingers. "Of course, I understand the need to follow rules. I do hope I will be allowed to try and show your leaders that my people can be trusted in the hopes one day they will allow me to make contact."_

" _I would be happy to help you campaign for this. It is time for my people to show themselves. It is time that we recognize the past without letting it hold us hostage."_

" _The past?"_

 _He sighed. "Many generations ago, before my people were capable of space flight, we were visited by people from a planet outside of our system. They seemed friendly, but they left behind a plant that consumed our planet and three neighboring planets. We were lucky, we found a way to harvest the plant and use it as a food source to keep us alive. The other two planets were not as lucky. Even now we struggle to keep other plants alive because this invasive plant covers so much land and grows so quickly."_

" _I can see why your people fear interacting with other worlds. Hopefully I can show there are benefits that can outweigh the risks."_

 _The captain lifted his glass towards her. "Here is to you changing our approach to other worlds."_

"Is this why you did not communicate with Earth, a promise?"

Sam shook her head, "No, their communication technology was fairly antiquated. I found a way to work on it, without permission at first, but the best I could do was get their message delay to under a day. At that speed it would have taken hundreds of years for a message to have reached Earth."

Colonel Marlin nodded. "I see. So. what happened after dinner with the Captain?"

Sam took a deep breath. "I was given a tour of the ship the next day, in the hopes I would find a place to work. In the morning we visited all the biology based labs. A few of them were interested in having me join them but I got the feeling I would be more of a specimen than a peer." Jack grimaced. "In the afternoon I visited the chemistry and physics based labs as well as the mechanics area. The mechanics were not interested in my help even though I was interested in working with them but then I met their astrophysicist and found my place. This was his last tour and he was not scheduled to be replaced. Their computer systems had taken over navigation, so he was basically just observing and recording celestial phenomena."

Sam face lit up with a broad smile. "Sarkin was a sweet older gentleman with lots of stories. He let me circumnavigate a few of the rules placed upon me. I had trouble with the low oxygen levels on board and I had to carry around an oxygen tank. He helped me make it more compact, so it fit in a backpack. He showed me the ropes and covered for me a few times when I didn't understand their social protocols. Together we made videos to send back to their planet about me, Earth, and gate travel. Sarkin, the doctor, and the Captain were my biggest allies on board."

"I see." Colonel Marlin made a few notes. "What was your daily routine like?"

"I started most mornings with a trip to the infirmary followed by breakfast. Dr. Loen kept a close eye on my oxygen levels, having me check in at least twice a day. After breakfast I usually went to Sarkin's lab and work on different projects. We'd have lunch together most days and after a bit more work and a visit to the infirmary I would go work out and get a shower before dinner with the Captain."

"What types of projects?"

"As I mentioned earlier I worked on their communication systems and I made what were essentially publicity videos. I helped Sarkin analyze and catalog some celestial events. I taught him about the stargate coordinate system and together we designed a similar navigation system for his people. After a few weeks I was allowed to make suggestions to improve their engine efficiencies. That put me on the chief mechanics radar. He was not a fan and he made it clear." Sam rubbed her left leg. Jack's eyes moved with her hand, she was rubbing a set of scars that she hadn't had when she left nine months ago.

"In what way?"

"He would not allow me to inspect any of the machinery, including the engines. I think he thought I was a spy or something. Sarkin had told me about their fuel efficiency and shared schematics with me so I had a basic idea of how I could help but I was only allowed access to the engine rooms when the Captain escorted me. The Captain and I were discussing some of my ideas to improve efficiency when one the techs got nervous, probably because the ships captain was standing behind him, and opened the wrong valve at the wrong time. There was an explosion. The tech died." Sam paused for a moment. "He was just a kid really." She took a breath. "I was able to push the captain out of the way, but I got hit with some shrapnel."

The base doctor leaned forward. "That's how you got the scars on your leg?"

Sam nodded. "Yes, that's also how I found out I was pregnant." Jack's brow knitted as Sam's hand slid from her leg to her stomach. "My cuts and burns earned me a few days stay in the infirmary and way too many tests, with one of those tests being a positive pregnancy test."

"How did the aliens react?"

Sam grinned. "There was an initial worry that my child was not of Earth's origin, but I made it clear quickly that I must have been pregnant before I was brought on board."

"Do you know how it happened?" Sam glanced over at the doctor and raised her eyebrows. "What I mean is you were on birth control when you left so this shouldn't have happened."

Sam nodded. "When my long-term birth control implants needed to be changed a couple years ago I was in a long-term relationship and thought I might be in a position to try to get pregnant within a year, so I switched to patches." Sam glanced over at Jack. "When that relationship didn't work out I stayed with the monthly patches since they seemed to be working fine. I noticed the patch was missing a couple days after I woke up in their infirmary, but I didn't worry about it. I assumed they had taken it off. After I found out I was pregnant I asked if there was any mention of the patch in my records and there was not. I don't remember when it came off but it was before I was rescued."

"But you are sure you were wearing one when you left?"

Sam nodded. "Pretty sure."

"She was." All eyes drifted to Jack. "I remember it…being on her arm I mean." Sam's eyes twinkled as the doctor quickly wiped a smirk off his face.

"I guess that means copulation happened on Earth, but conception happened a couple of days later on the other planet." That made Jack's eyebrow lift. His babies were his but had started out on another planet, which was seriously cool. "What happened once you knew you were pregnant?"

"We kept moving on to different planets to do surveys as I kept getting bigger. After saving the captain and getting the engines working more efficiently I was given more access to the engine room. The Chief still didn't like me, but he left me alone. There were rumors about the baby, I mean babies, being the Captain's, since I had dinner with him most nights, and nobody wanted to do anything to make the Captain mad."

"So how did you get yourself back here?"

"Sarkin and I built a naquada detector, to help me look for another stargate. I knew the chances were slim of having a second gate in the same system but on the seventh planet we surveyed we found a positive signature. Sarkin and the doctor helped me steal a shuttle. The gate was in a museum. I broke in during the night and thankfully the DHD was with it. I had to rig up some power but that wasn't too hard. My contractions started before I broke into the museum, which was cutting it a little closer than I would have liked."

The Colonel was shaking his head. "It is still hard to believe you are alive."

The doctor leaned forward. "I have a couple more questions if you aren't too tired."

Sam could hear one of the babies beginning to fuss, but she wanted to get as much answered as possible. "Go ahead."

"We have found an unusual protein in your blood, in addition to the naquadah and protein left by your previous Tokra host. Do you have an explanation for this protein?"

Sam nodded. My ability to handle the low oxygen environment decreased as my pregnancy advanced. The supplementary oxygen pack was not enough, and I was left bed ridden on an oxygen mask for a few days. The doctor designed a protein that helped me carry more oxygen without increasing my red blood cell count so much my blood got too sluggish. I had a small scare around he seventh month of my pregnancy because my red blood cell count was so high, and my oxygen levels were still so low."

"So this protein is temporary?"

"Yes, I had to get it injected a couple times."

The doctor nodded. "Good, because currently it is throwing off your blood results."

Sam's daughter began to cry I earnest. Jack brought her over to Sam, ending the morning interview.

Both babies were fed, burped, and changed.

"I don't think you were understanding what the doctor meant Jack. My blood results are different than when I left."

"Ok, so?"

"So, that is evidence that I'm not me."

"That's nuts, of course you're you."

"Jack, the whole point of the MIA protocol is to prevent imposters from accessing Earth. If my biological scans and tests don't match up to those done before I disappeared, then there will be reasonable doubt about my identity."

"That's just ridiculous."

"Actually, she is quite correct." Colonel Marlin stepped into the room.

Jack ran his hand through his hair. "She usually is."

"Your interviews have not brought up any major issues, but your medical tests have given us some inconclusive results, among them was the foreign protein."

Sam sat up straighter in her chair. "What else?"

"Your CT scan showed some changes, to your brain as well as to your body. The doctor says pregnancy would account for most of what the changes, but that has still left many worried that you could be a clone or an alien. The doctor is going to do some additional brain scans. Hopefully that will add some more useful data and we will be able to get you home soon. Please keep documenting your time away to go along with the interviews."

Sam nodded. "Will do."

Sam cooperated with all the testing and typed up reports between feeding the babies and discussing potential names with Jack.

"When is Daniel coming back?"

Jack shrugged. "I dunno, he has a lot to do."

Sam snickered. "I know babies take a lot of stuff but it shouldn't take him more than a couple days." Jack grimaced and turned away from her. "Jack?" He didn't turn around. "Jack, what are you not telling me?"

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "Daniel might have a bit more to buy than a couple of cribs."

"Such as?"

"Ummmm, maybe a house."

"A house? What happened to yours? Or mine even?"

"I sold you're a few months ago."

Sam sighed. "Makes sense really. I'd been dead for a while."

"That's what I kept telling Daniel."

"And your house?"

"I retired and I was moving to my cabin permanently. I was actually closing on the house when Daniel called to say you were here. My packed truck is sitting in the SGC parking lot."

"Interesting."

"Interesting? That's all you've got? Interesting?"

"I'm not sure what you want me to say Jack."

"You aren't mad?"

Sam shook her head. "I expected things to be different when I got back. I used to daydream about what would have changed."

"Give me an example."

"I imagined my funeral. I hope you took care of Cassie."

"She stayed strong all day, but I found her crying late that night. We sat up on the roof discussing different missions where you saved our asses for hours."

"Who took over the science department?"

"Kilbourn."

"She was on my list of top three choices."

"What else did you imagine?"

"I hoped you were ok, that you found a way to be happy." Sam's face fell and she whispered, "Found someone to make you happy."

Jack waked up behind her and put his arms around her. "Your imagination led you astray on that one."

She leaned back against him. "I wouldn't have blamed you."

"I know but it didn't happen." He kissed her neck. "There's just you." Sam smiled and tilted her head to give him better access. "Were you tempted?"

"Tempted?"

"It sounds a lot like the Captain might have been interested."

"I think he was, but he was married and I made it clear I intended to come home to…" Sam turned in his arms.

"To?"

"To my fiancée." She kissed Jack. "Once he found out I was pregnant he looked the other way as I built the naquadah detector. He knew I was getting home, one way or another."

It took four weeks to clear the foreign proteins from her system and establish that she was producing the same blood as before she was captured. The transfusions she was given were still giving her odd blood test results, but they were explainable. The repeated CAT scans and brain scans continued to give predictable results and were close enough to baseline to satisfy the pentagon, although Sam did have to agree to 24/7 monitoring for the time being.

Daniel had found them a three-bedroom apartment not far from the mountain. The concept of finding them a home was too much pressure, so he opted for a short-term lease, so they could house shop later. There were two bassinets plus cribs, high chairs, bouncy seats, play mats, and more toys than Sam wanted to count. The babies weren't even old enough to use half the stuff Daniel had purchased.

Jack and Sam had a naming ceremony for the babies when Teal'c visited. They named their son Jacob Charles O'Neill and their daughter Kathryn Janet O'Neill. Teal'c and Daniel helped them move three months alter to a two-story home with a large backyard with a deck. Jack was already planning a playhouse and swing set for the backyard.

Sam took six months off before going back to work part-time. She decided to stay on Earth and work on the science aspects of the gate. Jack stayed retired and loved being a full-time stay at home dad. He was called in to consult and helped a bit with training but he mainly played with his kids and enjoyed all the things he missed when Charlie was growing up.


End file.
